Learning to Love
by silverose136
Summary: A sweet realistic look at the complex relationship between Inuyasha  and Kagome, and how it might change and growA.N. I posted this once before with the intention of making it into something and am just now returning to it


A.N. So this is my very first fic. I guess you could call it a short realistic exploration of the relationship between Inuyasha and Kagome. Nothing special and not much plot but I have a couple of ideas about how to turn it into something 

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, and if I did I would be too selfish to loan him out for other people's fiction.

Touched 

By silverose

Theirs was a very physical relationship.

It was something that she had known from the beginning. They were always touching each other. Most of it couldn't be helped. He would save her, pull her out of the way, and pick her up. She rode on his back to travel faster. She dressed his wounds. There were good reasons why they always needed to touch, but then there were those times…

There was never anything explicit or sexual about the way they interacted. It was comfortable and natural. They had become intimate on a level that was closer then just sex. However, that didn't mean she didn't think about it. Most of the time it was not an issue. On a purely tactile level they understood each other perfectly.

Verbal communication was another story entirely.

Kagome had no disillusions about were the blame lay. After three years of traveling with inuyasha she understood they both had their faults. That didn't seem to stop her from getting angry though. At this point it was inevitable he would say or do something she would jump to conclusions and not let him explain himself to anyone but the dirt she made him eat. It had become a ritual and they couldn't break free of it.

It may be true that their bodies understood each other on some subconscious level, but unless they could learn to say what they meant it wouldn't do them much good. The sexual tension was there, most definitely, but neither could act on it without some mutual acceptance that could only come verbally. So they played this game with each other neither one winning or loosing.

These were the strange if not inappropriate thoughts that crossed Kagome's mind as she tried to get to sleep on the hard ground. The summer night was hot humid with just the start of a cooler breeze that promised a storm sometime tomorrow, and the earth beneath her was lumpy with roots and rocks. She loved sleeping outdoors but the forest floor could sometimes be an unforgiving mattress.

Inuyasha sat in the tree above her and she knew he wasn't asleep. He would probably be in that tree all night watching over them like he expected something to attack any minute. Kagome guessed that was not outside the realm of possibility, but still he needed sleep too. She tried to relax by listening to the sounds of her friend's steady breathing and the cicadas in the trees. Unfortunately it did not lull her to sleep as it usually did. Eventually she gave up.

Sitting up rather abruptly with a sigh of frustration Kagome called up into the tree in a soft whisper. She did not want to wake her friends but she knew the Hanyou could hear her.

His head turned towards her and he jumped gracefully down from the tree to alight at the foot of her bedroll. "What's the matter?" he sounded perturbed for some reason, as if she had interrupted some important meditations he was having up in the tree. Something Kagome would have found very unlikely.

"I can't sleep" Kagome complained interjecting just the right amount of pout to appear appropriately pitiful

"So, wadda you want me to do about it." The hanyou looked slightly disgruntled over being called down from his perch for such a thing

"Keep me company"

Inuyasha blinked "Go to sleep wench."

"I can't"

"Try"

"No"

They both became quiet for a minute neither giving in but neither wishing to argue. The pause stretched a few seconds to long and then Kagome spoke as if coming to some conclusion "Take me up into the tree with you."

"What! No."

"Please"

"NO!"

"Inuyasha"

Inuyahsa never would understand how she could get her eyes to look like that. He couldn't say no. He tried another tactic, "You'll fall."

"You'll catch me." Kagome looked sure of the fact. It irked him the slightest bit.

"Maybe I won't," He said mutinously trying to construct a cruel look on his face.

She didn't buy it. She caught his eyes with her own "You will," she said with certainty, and he knew it was true. He would never let her fall.

She smiled at him and he "Fehed" as he wrapped his arm around her and jumped them both onto the tree branch above.

Sitting tangled together in the tree neither of them said anything for a long while. It was not an uncomfortable silence. It was a time when words were not needed. His arms were around her and she leaned back against his chest and everything made sense. They both stayed quiet knowing for certain the spell would be broken the second one of them opened their mouth.

Kagome's mind began to wander again. It had been like this between them lately. When they could be they were silent with each other just enjoying the presence of the other. It was at these times that they were the closest. They didn't need words to understand feelings they couldn't say, in theory anyway. Still it never went farther then this. Their moments together were mostly innocent, and it didn't seem like things would change any time soon. It was as if they had come to the edge of a ravine and found they could not cross it so they decided to settle down and live there instead.

It was ridiculous really. Three years had passed, and yes their relationship had changed. She wouldn't have been cuddled in his arms two years ago that's for sure, but in some ways things were very much the same. She knew she couldn't expect him to declare any sort of deeper feelings for her, and she was much to scared to take the initiative and tell him how she felt so they were at an impasse

So why didn't he just kiss her already. That would be a clear indication of how things were between them. Kagome knew he wanted to. She could see it in his eyes sometimes before he would turn away quickly. He was scared, almost more than she was. What they had was so real so precious, a friendship, a trust that almost defied logic it was so deep. Neither of them wanted to ruin that. So they continued more or less as they always had. They argued and fought all the time.

Still Kagome thought even that had changed. They used to fight with real anger. He would say something mean. She would get hurt. They would scream at each other and call each other all sorts of colorful names and he would eat dirt and she'd jump down the well until their anger subsided.

Now though things were more complicated. Half the time she didn't know what they were fighting about. Their fights were born of frustration with themselves and with each other, and sometimes she supposed of passion too long restrained. Some of their fights had become just brutal, practically bordering on violent. They were so intense and draining that Kagome literally felt exhausted afterwards, but not angry. Things were becoming to confusing. Sometimes in the midst of their fight he would grab her and force her to look at him, and she would yank herself away, and then god sometimes she just wanted to…

"Why aren't you sleeping yet?"

Kagome sighed, "I told you. I'm not tired. I just wanted to come up here and see the stars."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, "because up here you're so much closer to them," he said sarcastically

"No stupid because on the ground I can't see them through the trees."

"Feh," pause, "don't call me stupid."

"Then don't tease me."

They were quiet again. Then, "Inuyasha."

"what"

"Do you ever think about the past? Do you ever want to go back?" Kagome shifted getting more comfortable. She supposed it was a silly question to ask him. His past was full of things that he probably wanted to do differently.

"NO"

"Oh," Kagome tried to leave it at that but she couldn't "Why not?"

"Cause it's over, you can't change it now," he said in a tone that clearly stated she should have known that.

"Oh," was all kagome said again. Then, "but don't you wish things could have been different."

"Course, but they weren't." He seemed to dismiss the idea. Kagome was surprised. With everything Inuyasha had been through she knew he had regrets. Why didn't he think about those things more?

Inuyasha shifted slightly behind her "What's with you. You're acting weird"

"I'm not acting weird. I'm just thinking" Kagome said indignantly

"Like I said."

"Hey, be nice if I use the S word up here it will be a long way down"

Inuyasha wrapped his arms tighter around her midsection "and you'll break my fall" he snorted.

"Oh yeah, well I can think of other ways to punish you."

"Like What?" Inuyasha said teasingly he was enjoying getting the better of her

Kagome didn't respond. Instead she turned slightly in his arms and reached up with one hand to give a light tug on one of his ears.

"OooW!" He complained as he swatted her hand away but she just went back for more.

"Don't be such a baby," she said as her hand returned to his ear this time soothing away any pain she might have caused with a gentle rubbing motion. He quieted immediately and closed his eyes letting himself enjoy her touch on his ears, something that he usually denied himself.

His mind began to wander. This had been a weird night. Kagome and him were sitting in the tree and they were perfectly content. Despite the fact that they had the potential to start one hell of an argument, they kept their words teasing and neither of them had overreacted. It was a rare occasion. He would enjoy it to it's fullest

"That's a good Puppy," Kagome said in a voice reserved for babies and cute little animals. Inuyasha's eyes shot open and he ripped his ear away from Kagome's fingers

"What the fuck!" he complained

"What. I was just kidding," Kagome defended "you need to learn to relax Inuyasha."

"You need to learn the right way to speak to a man."

"Excuse me," Kagome was offended

"You heard me."

Kagome pulled a bit away from him and turned to face him " The right way to speak to a man Huh. Is this before or after the _boy_ dissolves into a pile of mush when I rub his ears"

"I do not-"

" Oh please, It's years to late to save face with me Inuyasha. I know you to well."

"Not good enough or you would know when to keep your damn mouth shut." Inuyasha had to admit that he was more upset about the moment being spoiled then Kagme's comment, but luckily he only had to admit that to himself.

"I don't want to fight," Kagome was practically shouting

"Neither do I," so was he

"Good," that was still a bit loud on Kagome's part

"Good," he repeated softer this time. After a moment Kagome settled back against his chest. He held her for several moments while they both calmed down and sank into the aura of comfort that they both felt when they were close.

Then, hesitantly, "Kagome, would you- uh-" Kagome smiled as she turned instinctively knowing what he wanted. She reached up and stroked his ears while he closed his eyes in bliss.

It was strange. For the first time in a long while, they had an argument that didn't end in one, or both of them running off. Instead they both just agreed that they didn't want to fight. Like most of their fights the issue really wasn't resolved, but it didn't need to be. Their want to be together won out over their need to fight each other. Kagome resolved to give things time. She had a feeling that things were changing after all.

A.N. Ok so that's it for now. I hope you liked it. Please R&R and be honest I welcome compliments and criticisms.


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